The economic costs incurred with the purchase and use of a product may not be accurately reflected in its monetary price. For example, product sales and other transaction pricing generally does not incorporate costs associated with contribution by the product or transaction to global fossil carbon emissions, which are believed to have substantial and long term impact upon global environments and human society living conditions. One proposed solution is a carbon credit, imposed on a given product or transaction in order to cause the transacting party or parties to internalize associated carbon emission costs (sometimes referred to as a “carbon footprint”).
However, estimating actual associated carbon emission costs accurately or fairly may be difficult. Agreement and consensus on the monetary value of emitting, or mitigating, carbon emissions may be difficult, resulting in difficulty in implementing carbon emission cost allocation systems and mechanisms.